Although concrete and mortar are sometimes thought of as being interchangeable, a person of ordinary skill in the relevant art will recognize that there are various differences between the two materials. As an example, mortar is best mixed in a mortar mixer, characterized by a stationary drum having blades that turn inside the drum, rather than in a concrete mixer, which is characterized by a turning drum and stationary blades. A concrete mixer, for example, cannot give mortar the same thorough consistency that a mortar mixer can. Similarly, a mortar mixer cannot mix concrete as well as a concrete mixer can.
The hydraulic mortar mixer is becoming increasingly popular in the mortar industry because of the various advantages it offers over other kinds of mortar mixers. For example, compared to other mortar mixers, hydraulic mortar mixers typically have fewer parts to wear out, and thus are more efficient and reliable, can handle larger loads, are easier to maintain, and can clear jams much more easily. A hydraulic concrete mixer would offer the same advantages to the concrete industry, yet the existing concrete mixers are direct drive mixers that are incompatible with hydraulic apparatus. Accordingly, there exists a need for a concrete mixer having a drive train that is compatible with a hydraulic motor.
For simplicity and clarity of illustration, the drawing figures illustrate the general manner of construction, and descriptions and details of well-known features and techniques may be omitted to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the invention. Additionally, elements in the drawing figures are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention. The same reference numerals in different figures denote the same elements.
The terms “first,” “second,” “third,” “fourth,” and the like in the description and in the claims, if any, are used for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a particular sequential or chronological order. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances such that the embodiments of the invention described herein are, for example, capable of operation in sequences other than those illustrated or otherwise described herein. Furthermore, the terms “comprise,” “include,” “have,” and any variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to those elements, but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.
The terms “left,” “right,” “front,” “back,” “top,” “bottom,” “over,” “under,” and the like in the description and in the claims, if any, are used for descriptive purposes and not necessarily for describing permanent relative positions. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances such that the embodiments of the invention described herein are, for example, capable of operation in other orientations than those illustrated or otherwise described herein. The term “coupled,” as used herein, is defined as directly or indirectly connected in an electrical, mechanical, or other manner.